The Kid Who Is Hard to Be Around

Hey, Carpool Crew! Happy Wednesday. I'm Pastor Justin, and before we jump in, let me give a big shout-out to Everett from Louisiana. So glad you are with us today. And this episode is about that one kid who just gets under your skin. You know the one, they bug you on purpose, and every part of you wants to get them back. Yeah. Jesus says something surprising about that kid. Let's jump in with the one thing I want you to remember for the ride: you can pray for the kid who bugs you instead of paying them back. Listen to this from Matthew 5:44. Jesus says, "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." That is not what anybody expects. The normal move is get even. Jesus says try praying for them instead. Jesus said this to regular people who had plenty of folks being unfair to them. He was not saying let people walk all over you. He was saying do not let somebody else's meanness turn your heart mean too. When you pray for a kid who bugs you, it does not always change them right away. But it changes you. It keeps your heart soft instead of letting them make it hard. If Jesus were sitting next to you right now, He would probably smile and say, "I know that kid is hard to be around. Hand them to Me. You do not have to carry getting even. Just pray, and let Me work on both of you." There is a kid who always has something rude to say to you. Tonight, instead of replaying it and planning a comeback, you say one quick prayer: God, help that kid, and help me not to pay it back. It feels weird the first time. It also lifts a weight you did not know you were carrying. Hey, this week, try this one thing. Pick the kid who bugs you most, and pray one sentence for them each day: God, do something good in their life. See what it does to your own heart by Friday. Hey, let's go back to that one thing I wanted you to remember for the ride. You can pray for the kid who bugs you instead of paying them back. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, you probably know a family who could use this one. Go ahead and share this episode with them. Before you go, let's answer this question together. Who is one kid that is hard to be around, and what is one prayer you could pray for them this week? I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.